Soothing Sensuality
by Touch of Venom
Summary: The war is over but wounds remain. A meeting between Hermione and Narcissa will decide the future, if any, between the two. Oneshot companion to Depth of Desire.


She should hate her. She should but she didn't. There was no logical explanation as to why she didn't but she never could function based on logic when in her presence. She didn't feel hate or fear or anger, nor did she spurn her company. Instead Hermione found herself seeking the other woman out and had been pleased when her advanced had not been spurned.

It was therapeutic in a way. Ice numbs and heat relaxes. Hermione needed the icy cool, the metaphorical cool balm that the other woman's presence offered her. Narcissa Malfoy was ice personified. Narcissa was the opposite she need the heat of Hermione's burning personality to chase the memories from her mind and conscience.

They had been together once before the war truly began, the summer before her sixth year at Hogwarts. It was only supposed to be that one time.

Now the war was over and every one was beginning to move on. Hermione still had nightmares that haunted her and she was being crushed under the expectations of her friends and the public. One day Hermione just needed a break and when she spotted the regal figure of Narcissa walking through the Ministry's atrium Hermione changed her path. She had caught up right before Narcissa had reached the floo's and once again Hermione found herself under those cool blue eyes. The last time Hermione had been under that same gaze she was on the other woman's drawing room floor being tortured. She had sought sanctuary in that gaze, an escape from the burning pain her body was being forced through.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting when she met that gaze again but she knew it would not elicit the same feelings of lust and passion it once had long before Bellatrix Lestrange. She had been right, the burning lust she had once felt was no longer there.

Narcissa Malfoy had born witness to the very worst moments of Hermione's existence. She had seen things that few others had and knew what she had gone through. There had been no judgement in her eyes the day of her torture and there was no judgement in her eyes now months after the fact. There just understood. Narcissa knew her in ways no one else did, not even her best friends.

Narcissa had seen Hermione come undone by the force of her own desire; Narcissa had watched her drown in her own lust. Narcissa had been the root of her childhood infatuation and the source of her first experiences with attraction and lust.

Hermione knew that her own gaze was reflective of Narcissa's. She understood the other woman as deeply as Narcissa understood her. She understood the way she had been raised to see the world, as though everyone else owed her their respect and deference. She understood that the other woman yearned for the attention, affection, and acceptance of others, though not a single aspect of her personality let those wants show. Hermione knew what drove Narcissa, could understand the general icy disposition and outlook she had. Others would call her emotionless, and Hermione had at one point as well before she had learned. Hermione had come to understand when she had been trapped under Bellatrix's knife and Narcissa had looked on unable to do a thing even if she wanted, with nothing more than ice in her gaze.

The coldness was her defense against all the festering, burning hate that surrounded her. It had been the only way she could protect herself, by locking away her emotions.

When they had met each other's gaze in the atrium understanding had passed between the two of them instantaneously.

"Miss Granger," Narcissa greeted her tone crisp and cool.

"Lady Malfoy," Hermione returned as her heart began to race. A slight flush dusted her cheeks as warmth spread throughout her body.

"I heard you are planning on returning to Hogwarts this year," Narcissa idly commented, her tone probing.

"I am. However with everything that happened I spoke with Headmistress McGonagall about living off grounds. She agreed so long as my flat was located in Hogsmeade and floo'd to her office every morning," Hermione explained to the other woman.

In reality Hermione hadn' decide whether to return to Hogwarts or not, while she wanted her N.E.W.T.s she also knew that living at the castle so soon after the Final Battle would just wreak havoc on her mental health. It had been Minerva's idea for Hermione to live in the village and floo to the school so that way she could have a break from the memories being inside the castle brought up. Now she could not be happy for the Headmistress's suggestion and from the extra spark that had suddenly appeared in Narcissa's gaze out of nowhere, her thoughts were running along the same lines.

"Would you like a tour?" Hermione asked.

"I would be delighted," Narcissa said in a purr.

Hermione held out her hand and Narcissa slipped her own into Hermione's. With a sudden turn Hermione apparated them both from the atrium of the Ministry straight into her bedroom. Unlike the first time where Hermione had found herself drowning in the depths of her desire, this time Hermione felt grounded.

She felt more alive and secure in her existence than she had since Albus Dumbledore had fallen from the Astronomy Tower.

It was soothing sort of sensuality that filled her as she slowly and methodically stripped Narcissa bare. Her fingers were reverent as they skimmed the skin of the woman who contained both light and dark. The taste of her skin was the same, the feel of her beneath her fingers had not changed, and yet everything felt different. There was no ferocious, wild claiming of one another. Their intensity was different from before, the dynamics had changed. Narcissa did not try and dominate her and Hermione did not submit. They moved together as they re-explored each other. They moved as equals.

They both touched and tasted and teased. Their moans mingled and danced together as they filled the air. Fingers tweaked and pulled and skimmed. Tongues licked and probed and teased. Wounds that had lingered on their souls from the war healed and were soothed. Reassurance and acceptance were offered and Hermione found that she had once more lost herself in Narcissa Malfoy, had once more been pulled into the depths of desire because the woman above her was the one person who embodied everything that Hermione needed in a partner.

This time Hermione was not falling into lust. She was falling in love.

A relationship needed more than physical attraction, and she knew that more existed between them than physical attraction. They had both suffered through hell to get where they were now. They both needed something that the other offered and they both understood one another.

Once they had both be sated they lay next to one another in bed, twined around each other. Narcissa was casually drawing patterns across Hermione's skin, neither rushing to end things.

"I suppose I can't say that this won't happen again," Narcissa murmured after what felt like hours of comfortable silence.

"I know," Hermione mumbled sleepily echoing the words she had once spoken under different circumstances. A light pinch was the only sign Narcissa gave that let on she recalled that had once been Hermione's response years ago.

"You are welcome here any time, Narcissa," Hermione offered ignoring the pinch from the other woman.

"Won't your friends notice if I am always here?" Narcissa questioned.

"They'll adjust," Hermione answered. Neither Harry nor Ron knew of her past with Narcissa and she didn't think she would ever explain the whole story. Hermione barely understood herself, but she had never once questioned the feelings the blonde provoked in her. After everything that had happened and that she had lived through she had earned the right to take happiness no matter how it came to her.

"I will have to make some adjustments so that the place is livable," Narcissa finally said.

"I only care about two things in the entire place. Leave those and you can do as you please to the rest," Hermione informed her.

"What two things?" Narcissa asked.

"My books," Hermione answered at once. "And you."

The fingers that had been casually drawing patterns across the skin on Hermione's arm froze but she didn't shift from her position as the blonde soaked in her answer. Minutes passed and neither said a word, eventually Narcissa returned to idly drawing patterns across her skin.

"There are some books from the Black Family and Malfoy Family libraries you'll love. We can turn the spare bedroom into a small library of our own. I will bring them over tomorrow," Narcissa answered.

Gentle warmth spread from Hermione's heart throughout her body. It was the gentle all-encompassing warmth that she knew to be love. She had never fit in when she was a child living in the muggle world. Once she had come to Hogwarts she had hoped to find a home in the magical world. It wasn't a perfect fit but she had gained something close.

Lying wrapped in Narcissa's arms, speaking of books and redecorating and listening to the blonde use the word _we_ Hermione knew she had finally found the home she had been searching for.

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 **A/N - Hope everyone enjoyed the story. This is the last story I had planned for this series of oneshots. Peace all.**


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